711.52/10–2645
The American Embassy in Spain to the Spanish Ministry for Foreign Affairs 34
The Embassy of the United States of America presents its compliments to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the Ministry’s Note Verbale No. 835 dated October 10, 1945 and received at this Embassy on October 18, which refers to the distribution of the Semanario Gráfico, a publication of the Press Section of this Embassy. The Note Verbale in question deals particularly with the issue of the Semanario Gráfico which contained the letter addressed by the late President Roosevelt to the American Ambassador in Spain, the text of which was recently made public by the Department of State in Washington.
The Semanario Gráfico has been distributed in Spain since June, 1943. The issue to which reference is made above is No. 113 and was circulated in a manner wholly similar to the previous issues. This publication, insofar as distribution and circulation are concerned, is similar to the publications of other Embassies, including those of the late Axis, which have been circulated in Spain in recent years.
The Note Verbale of the Foreign Ministry raises the question of whether the distribution and circulation of the Semanario Gráfico after being in force for over two years and having been matters of general knowledge, should now be altered. There can, of course, be no discussion as to the right of the Spanish Government to order such alteration or of this Embassy to decide in view of the attitude assumed by the Spanish Government whether it desires to continue publication.
The Note Verbale also raises a further important question. The issue of the Semanario Gráfico cited therein published a letter from the President of the United States to his Ambassador in Spain. Is it consistent with the relations prevailing between the two Governments for the Spanish Government to prevent either in the Spanish press or in the official bulletin of this Embassy the publication of statements by the President or other high officials of the Government of the United [Page 693] States? No such restrictions exist in the United States on the publication of statements of the Spanish Chief of State or of other Spanish officials.
In view of the importance of the above questions, this Embassy will defer any action in the premises pending receipt of further word from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
- Copy transmitted to the Department in despatch 1072, October 26, 1945; received November 7.↩